He was already serving a life sentence when guards left him alone in a room with Jeffrey Dahmer. That decision ended up defining the rest of both men's lives.
Christopher Scarver is the man who killed serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer inside a Wisconsin prison in 1994. Decades later, he's spoken publicly about what happened that day — though his own story, both before and after, is more complicated than the headlines usually suggest.
How Scarver Ended Up in Prison
In 1990, Scarver, then 21 and struggling with heavy drinking after losing a job training position he'd been counting on, shot and killed his former job site supervisor, Steve Lohman, during a robbery attempt, later firing additional shots into his body to intimidate a second man into handing over more money. Scarver later told doctors he'd been hearing voices telling him he was "the chosen one," and was subsequently diagnosed with schizophrenia. He was convicted of first-degree murder in 1992 and sentenced to life at Columbia Correctional Institution in Wisconsin.
The Day Dahmer Died
On November 28, 1994, Scarver was assigned to a cleaning detail alongside two other inmates: Jesse Anderson, convicted of murdering his wife, and Jeffrey Dahmer, the serial killer convicted of murdering and dismembering 17 men and boys. When corrections officers left the three unsupervised, Scarver retrieved a metal bar from the prison's weight room and beat both men. Dahmer died from his injuries; Anderson died two days later.
Scarver later told reporters he'd grown to despise Dahmer specifically, describing him as needling other inmates by shaping prison food into severed limbs and adding ketchup as mock blood. He's also alleged that prison staff left the three men unsupervised deliberately, hoping something would happen to Dahmer — a claim that's never been independently confirmed.
Consequences
Scarver pleaded no contest to two additional counts of first-degree intentional homicide and received two more consecutive life sentences in 1995. Wisconsin officials, citing safety concerns, transferred him out of the state prison system entirely — first to a federal facility in Colorado, later to Colorado's state system, where he has remained.
Life Since
Scarver spent roughly 16 years in solitary confinement following the killings before eventually being moved into less restrictive housing after years of good behavior. He's since published a book of poetry, "The Child Left Behind," and has spoken about wanting to pursue further education and prison policy reform work from inside. In interviews, he's maintained he wasn't seeking to become known for killing Dahmer, but that he acted out of genuine disgust at what Dahmer had done and how he continued to act toward others in prison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Christopher Scarver still in prison?
Yes. He's serving three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole in the Colorado prison system.
Did prison officials get in trouble for leaving Dahmer unsupervised with Scarver?
No formal findings of wrongdoing were made public. Scarver has alleged the lack of supervision wasn't accidental, but this hasn't been independently confirmed.
Why did Scarver kill Steve Lohman in 1990?
He was diagnosed with schizophrenia and, according to court records, was experiencing delusions at the time, believing he'd been instructed by voices to act. He was still convicted and sentenced as an adult.